Rewards for hard work
Help students be supported for their efforts on Giving Day, Nov. 29
In 2021, Mount Royal University held its inaugural Giving Day, a 24-hour campaign focusing efforts on raising critical funds for current and future students, providing support in and out of the classroom.
This year’s Giving Day will take place on Nov. 29, and will offer several fun challenges in which to take part.
“Giving Day is when we shine a light on philanthropy within our own community and how any gift — large or small — can make a difference,” says MRU president and vice-chancellor Tim Rahilly, PhD. “Last year, 671 donors raised $262,646.86, of which $107,000 went towards student awards. Those are funds that provide immediate relief to students.”
Sixty years of graduates gave on Giving Day 2021, representing every decade from the 1950s to the 2020s. Cougar Athletics, the MRU Conservatory and everything in between received support from generous donors.
The impact of a gift
Gen Yuzicapi
Recipient of the Enbridge Scholarship for Indigenous Leadership
Coming back to university as a mature student can be taxing, not only mentally, but financially, too.
However, that didn’t stop Gen Yuzicapi. She says receiving the Enbridge Scholarship for Indigenous Leadership completely changed how she perceives her academic career as she works towards her Bachelor of Child Studies.
“At first I was like, ‘I don’t know if I can do this, especially university.’ But knowing you can get awards that reflect your grades, it really, really, does matter.”
The support Yuzicapi received through her scholarship not only relieved her of financial stress, but also proved to her she can achieve her goals.
“I’m not young, so being awarded this scholarship really showed me that no matter how old you are, you can do anything you set your mind to,” she says. “Getting this scholarship meant a lot. It showed me that I am 35 and I can still get scholarships and a 4.0 GPA.”
Upon completing her practicum, Yuzicapi was offered a job in her field of study and plans to continue working with youth once she graduates.
For Giving Day 2022, students have identified mental health and wellness and student awards and bursaries as their priority areas of need. A major goal for this year is to grow MRU’s scholarship endowment to $50 million from its current status of $47.5 million. In addition, as part of MRU’s drive to meet the growing and evolving needs of students and to align with the post-secondary sector on scholarship supports, donors and alumni have contributed more than $5,000 to go towards work being done by MRU as guided by the Suicide Prevention Strategic Framework.
There are a million reasons to give. What’s yours?
